OnMonday，September22，whenatbreakfast，IunguardedlysaidtoDr。Johnson，’IwishIsawyouandMrs。Macaulaytogether。’Hegrewveryangry；and，afterapause，whileacloudgatheredonhisbrow，heburstout，’No，Sir；youwouldnotseeusquarrel，tomakeyousport。Don’tyouknowthatitisveryunciviltoPITtwopeopleagainstoneanother？’Then，checkinghimself，andwishingtobemoregentle，headded，’Idonotsayyoushouldbehangedordrownedforthis；butitISveryuncivil。’Dr。Taylorthoughthiminthewrong，andspoketohimprivatelyofit；butIafterwardsacknowledgedtoJohnsonthatIwastoblame，forIcandidlyowned，thatImeanttoexpressadesiretoseeacontestbetweenMrs。
　　Macaulayandhim；butthenIknewhowthecontestwouldend；sothatIwastoseehimtriumph。JOHNSON。’Sir，youcannotbesurehowacontestwillend；andnomanhasarighttoengagetwopeopleinadisputebywhichtheirpassionsmaybeinflamed，andtheymaypartwithbitterresentmentagainsteachother。IwouldsoonerkeepcompanywithamanfromwhomImustguardmypockets，thanwithamanwhocontrivestobringmeintoadisputewithsomebodythathemayhearit。Thisisthegreatfaultof——，namingoneofourfriends，endeavouringtointroduceasubjectuponwhichheknowstwopeopleinthecompanydiffer。’BOSWELL。’Buthetoldme，Sir，hedoesitforinstruction。’JOHNSON。’Whateverthemotivebe，Sir，themanwhodoesso，doesverywrong。Hehasnomorerighttoinstructhimselfatsuchrisk，thanhehastomaketwopeoplefightaduel，thathemaylearnhowtodefendhimself。’
　　Hefoundgreatfaultwithagentlemanofouracquaintanceforkeepingabadtable。’Sir，saidhe，whenamanisinvitedtodinner，heisdisappointedifhedoesnotgetsomethinggood。I
　　advisedMrs。Thrale，whohasnocard-partiesatherhouse，togivesweet-meats，andsuchgoodthings，inanevening，asarenotcommonlygiven，andshewouldfindcompanyenoughcometoher；foreverybodylovestohavethingswhichpleasethepalateputintheirway，withouttroubleorpreparation。’Suchwashisattentiontotheminutiaeoflifeandmanners。
　　Mr。Burke’sLettertotheSheriffsofBristol，ontheaffairsofAmerica，beingmentioned，Johnsoncensuredthecompositionmuch，andheridiculedthedefinitionofafreegovernment，viz。’Foranypracticalpurpose，itiswhatthepeoplethinkso。’——’IwilllettheKingofFrancegovernmeonthoseconditions，saidhe，foritistobegovernedjustasIplease。’AndwhenDr。Taylortalkedofagirlbeingsenttoaparishworkhouse，andaskedhowmuchshecouldbeobligedtowork，’Why，saidJohnson，asmuchasisreasonable：andwhatisthat？asmuchasSHETHINKSreasonable。’
　　Dr。JohnsonobliginglyproposedtocarrymetoseeIslam，aromantickscene，nowbelongingtoafamilyofthenameofPort，butformerlytheseatoftheCongreves。IsupposeitiswelldescribedinsomeoftheTours。Johnsondescribeditdistinctlyandvividly，atwhichIcouldnotbutexpresstohimmywonder；because，thoughmyeyes，asheobserved，werebetterthanhis，Icouldnotbyanymeansequalhiminrepresentingvisibleobjects。Isaid，thedifferencebetweenusinthisrespectwasasthatbetweenamanwhohasabadinstrument，butplayswellonit，andamanwhohasagoodinstrument，onwhichhecanplayveryimperfectly。
　　Irecollectaveryfineamphitheatre，surroundedwithhillscoveredwithwoods，andwalksneatlyformedalongthesideofarockysteep，onthequarternextthehousewithrecessesunderprojectionsofrock，overshadowedwithtrees；inoneofwhichrecesses，weweretold，CongrevewrotehisOldBachelor。WeviewedaremarkablenaturalcuriosityatIslam；tworiversburstingneareachotherfromtherock，notfromimmediatesprings，butafterhavingrunformanymilesunderground。Plott，inhisHistoryofStaffordshire，givesanaccountofthiscuriosity；butJohnsonwouldnotbelieveit，thoughwehadtheattestationofthegardener，whosaid，hehadputincorks，wheretheriverManyfoldsinksintotheground，andhadcatchedtheminanet，placedbeforeoneoftheopeningswherethewaterburstsout。Indeed，suchsubterraneouscoursesofwaterarefoundinvariouspartsofourglobe。
　　TalkingofDr。Johnson’sunwillingnesstobelieveextraordinarythingsIventuredtosay，’Sir，youcomenearHume’sargumentagainstmiracles，“Thatitismoreprobablewitnessesshouldlie，orbemistaken，thanthattheyshouldhappen。“JOHNSON。’Why，Sir，Hume，takingthepropositionsimply，isright。ButtheChristianrevelationisnotprovedbythemiraclesalone，butasconnectedwithprophecies，andwiththedoctrinesinconfirmationofwhichthemiracleswerewrought。’
　　Intheevening，agentleman-farmer，whowasonavisitatDr。
　　Taylor’s，attemptedtodisputewithJohnsoninfavourofMungoCampbell，whoshotAlexander，EarlofEglintoune，uponhishavingfallen，whenretreatingfromhisLordship，whohebelievedwasabouttoseizehisgun，ashehadthreatenedtodo。Hesaid，heshouldhavedonejustasCampbelldid。JOHNSON。’WhoeverwoulddoasCampbelldid，deservestobehanged；notthatIcould，asajuryman，havefoundhimlegallyguiltyofmurder；butIamgladtheyfoundmeanstoconvicthim。’Thegentleman-farmersaid，’A
　　poormanhasasmuchhonourasarichman；andCampbellhadTHATtodefend。’Johnsonexclaimed，’Apoormanhasnohonour。’TheEnglishyeoman，notdismayed，proceeded：’LordEglintounewasadamnedfooltorunonuponCampbell，afterbeingwarnedthatCampbellwouldshoothimifhedid。’Johnson，whocouldnotbearanythinglikeswearing，angrilyreplied，“HewasNOTaDAMNED
　　fool：heonlythoughttoowellofCampbell。HedidnotbelieveCampbellwouldbesuchaDAMNEDscoundrel，astodosoDAMNEDathing。’HisemphasisonDAMNED，accompaniedwithfrowninglooks，reprovedhisopponent’swantofdecoruminHISpresence。
　　DuringthisinterviewatAshbourne，Johnsonseemedtobemoreuniformlysocial，cheerful，andalert，thanIhadalmosteverseenhim。Hewaspromptongreatoccasionsandonsmall。Taylor，whopraisedeverythingofhisowntoexcess；inshort，’whosegeesewereallswans，’astheproverbsays，expatiatedontheexcellenceofhisbull-dog，which，hetoldus，was’perfectlywellshaped。’
　　Johnson，afterexaminingtheanimalattentively，thusrepressedthevain-gloryofourhost：——’No，Sir，heisNOTwellshaped；forthereisnotthequicktransitionfromthethicknessofthefore-part，totheTENUITY——thethinpart——behind，——whichabull-dogoughttohave。’ThisTENUITYwastheonlyHARDWORDthatIheardhimuseduringthisinterview，anditwillbeobserved，heinstantlyputanotherexpressioninitsplace。Taylorsaid，asmallbull-dogwasasgoodasalargeone。JOHNSON。’No，Sir；for，inproportiontohissize，hehasstrength：andyourargumentwouldprove，thatagoodbull-dogmaybeassmallasamouse。’Itwasamazinghowheenteredwithperspicuityandkeennessuponeverythingthatoccurredinconversation。Mostmen，whomIknow，wouldnomorethinkofdiscussingaquestionaboutabull-dog，thanofattackingabull。
　　Icannotallowanyfragmentwhateverthatfloatsinmymemoryconcerningthegreatsubjectofthisworktobelost。Thoughasmallparticularmayappeartriflingtosome，itwillberelishedbyothers；whileeverylittlesparkaddssomethingtothegeneralblaze：andtopleasethetrue，candid，warmadmirersofJohnson，andinanydegreeincreasethesplendourofhisreputation，Ibiddefiancetotheshaftsofridicule，orevenofmalignity。ShowersofthemhavebeendischargedatmyJournalofaTourtotheHebrides；yetitstillsailsunhurtalongthestreamoftime，and，asanattendantuponJohnson，’Pursuesthetriumph，andpartakesthegale。’
　　Onemorningafterbreakfast，whenthesunshonebright，wewalkedouttogether，and’pored’forsometimewithplacidindolenceuponanartificialwater-fall，whichDr。Taylorhadmadebybuildingastrongdykeofstoneacrosstheriverbehindthegarden。Itwasnowsomewhatobstructedbybranchesoftreesandotherrubbish，whichhadcomedowntheriver，andsettledclosetoit。Johnson，partlyfromadesiretoseeitplaymorefreely，andpartlyfromthatinclinationtoactivitywhichwillanimate，attimes，themostinertandsluggishmortal，tookalongpolewhichwaslyingonabank，andpusheddownseveralparcelsofthiswreckwithpainfulassiduity，whileIstoodquietlyby，wonderingtobeholdthesagethuscuriouslyemployed，andsmilingwithanhumoroussatisfactioneachtimewhenhecarriedhispoint。Heworkedtillhewasquiteoutofbreath；andhavingfoundalargedeadcatsoheavythathecouldnotmoveitafterseveralefforts，’Come，’saidhe，throwingdownthepole，’YOUshalltakeitnow；’whichIaccordinglydid，andbeingafreshman，soonmadethecattumbleoverthecascade。
　　Thismaybelaughedatastootriflingtorecord；butitisasmallcharacteristicktraitintheFlemishpicturewhichIgiveofmyfriend，andinwhich，thereforeImarkthemostminuteparticulars。
　　Andletitberemembered，thatAesopatplayisoneoftheinstructiveapologuesofantiquity。
　　TalkingofRochester’sPoems，hesaid，hehadgiventhemtoMr。
　　Steevenstocastratefortheeditionofthepoets，towhichhewastowritePrefaces。Dr。TaylortheonlytimeIeverheardhimsayanythingwittyobserved，thatifRochesterhadbeencastratedhimself，hisexceptionablepoemswouldnothavebeenwritten。’I
　　askedifBurnethadnotgivenagoodLifeofRochester。JOHNSON。
　　’WehaveagoodDeath：thereisnotmuchLife。’IaskedwhetherPrior’sPoemsweretobeprintedentire：Johnsonsaidtheywere。I
　　mentionedLordHailes’scensureofPrior，inhisPrefacetoacollectionofSacredPoems，byvarioushands，publishedbyhimatEdinburghagreatmanyyearsago，wherehementions，’thoseimpuretaleswhichwillbetheeternalopprobriumoftheiringeniousauthour。’JOHNSON。’Sir，LordHaileshasforgot。ThereisnothinginPriorthatwillexcitetolewdness。IfLordHailesthinksthereis，hemustbemorecombustiblethanotherpeople。’I
　　instancedthetaleofPauloPurgantiandhisWife。JOHNSON。Sir，thereisnothingthere，butthathiswifewantedtobekissedwhenpoorPaulowasoutofpocket。No，Sir，Priorisalady’sbook。Noladyisashamedtohaveitstandinginherlibrary。’
　　Thehypochondriackdisorderbeingmentioned，Dr。JohnsondidnotthinkitsocommonasIsupposed。’Dr。Taylorsaidhe，isthesameonedayasanother。BurkeandReynoldsarethesame；
　　Beauclerk，exceptwheninpain，isthesame。Iamnotsomyself；
　　butthisIdonotmentioncommonly。’
　　Dr。Johnsonadvisedmeto-day，tohaveasmanybooksaboutmeasI
　　could；thatImightreaduponanysubjectuponwhichIhadadesireforinstructionatthetime。’WhatyoureadTHENsaidhe，youwillremember；butifyouhavenotabookimmediatelyready，andthesubjectmouldsinyourmind，itisachanceifyouagainhaveadesiretostudyit。’Headded，’Ifamanneverhasaneagerdesireforinstruction，heshouldprescribeataskforhimself。Butitisbetterwhenamanreadsfromimmediateinclination。’
　　HerepeatedagoodmanylinesofHorace’sOdes，whilewewereinthechaise。IrememberparticularlytheOdeEheufugaces。